Fame - Who Decides?

What makes someone or something popular/successful?

Why is it that some works of art - famous pieces - look like something a toddler painted, and yet the pieces are worth millions of dollars?  Who decides what's good or not? Why does their opinion count more than mine?  Or yours?

Why are famous folks famous?  Who decided their fame or status?  We the viewing public?  Or their public relations team?

What makes some recording artists, who are mediocre at best, become top sellers, when other folks with extraordinary talent are left watching from the sidelines?

Why are some books best sellers, when there are so many others, better written, better put together, that hardly get noticed?

This last question is especially relevant because I'm reading a best seller, the first of a trilogy, that has been on the best sellers list for weeks/months now.  It's Fifty Shades of Grey.

There's been a lot of buzz about it.  Of course, it's banned from the bookstores here.

I had seen it for a while on Amazon, but every time I thought about buying it, I do what I always do when purchasing something, I read the reviews.  What is/was tantalizing about the reviews for this book is that of the 6000 plus folks who wrote one, 3500 thought the book was great, and 2500 thought it was trash.

I'm about half way through the first volume, and if I wrote a review now, mine would definitely be leaning toward the later group.

In a nutshell, the book is about this gazillionaire who makes an indecent proposal to a young, naive, recent college graduate.  We're seen and heard the story before, so you can get the gist of where it's headed.

What makes this story different though, is that it involves kinky sex, of the very kinky kind. Bondage and such.

OK.  I confess.  I like trashy romance novels where I imagine I'm the woman getting all of the attention from the handsome dude, and we ride off into the sunset.

Yes, it's pretty pathetic, but there it is.  The truth of the matter.

What I can't wrap my head around is someone tying someone else up for their jollies.

That's just too freaky for me.

First sign of a rope, handcuffs, duct tape - whatever - I'm outta there.

So, I'm struggling with this book.  I'll finish it, just cause.  But relating to it on a personal level . . . no, no . . . in fact, hell no.

Now, I'm guessing you're in one or two camps - those who agree that kinky is crazy and won't touch it, or those who disagree, or maybe now you're just a wee bit curious, and you're rushing off to buy it.

Look for it in the hardware aisle, next to the rope and duct tape.

Online Dating & Gay Marriage

No, I'm not gay.

Yes.  I'm sure you went there when you read the title.  These are just two topics on my mind today.

First, online dating.

As I mentioned in one of my earlier postings, I tried it for a six-week run, years ago, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.  In fact, running home at night to check my account to see if it generated any interest, felt like homework.

And who wants homework?

The reason I gave this a try at all is because dear friends of mine have found, and married, wonderful men they met through online dating services.  So, I figured if it happened for them, it could happen for me.

It didn't.

The fact that no one I "met" was interested in a face-to-face, not even for coffee, was the first clue to the ultimate demise of this dating adventure.

But, at least I can say I tried.

I figured this was the problem - it's hard to reduce how wonderful I am to a statement or two.  I need volumes to share all of this awesomeness.

OK.  Stop laughing.

Really.  Stop.

And for those of you who might be tempted to feel sorry for me, don't.  I'm having the time of my life.  The only reason this has even crossed my mind lately is because I've seen a lot of commercials for various online dating sites.

And yes, I'm a sucker for ads.  Always have been.  So was my Momma.   Must be genetic.

Now, to gay marriage.

I just read this charming account of two guys, one active duty military, who were just married, on base.  They were married before and each of them has two kids. They are both Christian and were raised in the church, and tried for years to deny who they were.  When they did come out, after the dismantling of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," they initially lost everything - wives and kids, parents and church affiliations. In time, folks came around, and new friends joined their circle.

The full story can be found on the Salon website.  The link follows.

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/the_wedding/2012/07/erwynn_umali_and_will_behrens_the_first_gay_wedding_on_a_military_base_.single.html.

In spite of all the negative people and negative circumstances they encountered and endured, their love for each other prevailed.

I'm happy for this couple.  These gay men who married, strangers to me.  I'm happy they had a choice, and that we're in a place in America where they could step out and make their choice known to the world.

Letter

I stumbled upon this intriguing letter from an ex-slave to his former master.  I was struck by his positive tone, even when he mentions some unspeakable hardships.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/text-slaves-letter-master-16778818#.UAP_uI5n_BI

Glitz vs. Grit

Yesterday I was in Dubai.  This is the first time I've driven there.  I was ready with my GPS coordinates set, so at least it knew where I was going.

As I approached the city, I could see the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world), in the distance. It was a very hazy day, so most everything else was hidden behind the clouds.  Actually, I'm not sure if it was clouds or sand causing the haze in the sky.  Either way, whatever it was, resulted in the visibility being very limited.

I was there to finalize one of my summer trips.

One of the things that was most striking to me, was the grittiness of this part of the city.  I had to remind myself often that this was, in fact, Dubai - the land of all things glitzy.

But then I remembered, I shouldn't have been surprised by these findings because in every big city, there is the section that doesn't make it in the tourist guide books as places to see and things to do.  And so it is with Dubai.  It takes a whole lot of folks to shine the gold and silver and to keep all of the marble sparkling.

As I've mentioned before, there are less than 10 million people here, but only 2 million, or 20% of the population, are Emiratis.  Almost everyone else is in place to serve them in some capacity or other.  (Just looked it up - The actual numbers listed for population is 7.5 million, again with roughly 80% of that number being expats). Of the expats, most are from neighboring countries and almost all are Arab. This latest school reform has brought in the most Westerners, and those who follow Christianity.

It is the folks who live and work in the service industries that are not treated well, at all.

I have been asked again and again, about the treatment of women here.  For the most part, very well.  However, those women who make up the service industry, not so good.  They are the cooks, nannies, house cleaners, etc.

There are many more expat men than women because of the job market.  More men are needed for the incredible amount of building that has happened and continues to happen.  Yesterday, I saw construction sight, after construction sight, with cranes looming high above on seemingly every block.  You don't see that much building on the glitzy side of town, but it appears they are extending their reach throughout the city.

Side note - In the slides of typical single family homes that I included a few days ago, please note that these are in fact, typical.  Remember, family sizes are much larger here.  It is not unusual for a family to have 8-10 kids.  (This is commonly referred to as "nation building"). The houses in the slides look like the ones across the street from my school.

Tomorrow I'm headed to Abu Dhabi, to get dolled up for my travels.

Insha'Alla (God willing), more soon.

Side note 2 - Every conversation begins and ends with Insha'Allah or Alhamdulilah (praise God).

Homes in the UAE

Take a look at this slide show of single family homes in the UAE.

http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/in-pictures-villa-architecture-of-the-northern-emirates

Really Cool Car

Check this out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jZKWl34N3O0

Last Day of School

Yeah!

We made it!

The teachers couldn't leave fast enough.  That is, for the ones who showed up at all. Of the 17 Western teachers, we know 8 will not be returning.  There was little motivation for them to show up.

Most of the teachers will be leaving the country tonight or tomorrow.  It will be a mass exodus.

New teachers will be arriving all summer, with a really big group coming in August.

After spending all day in a meeting (on the last day of school - really???), I'm thrilled to have this time off, and will spend this first week resting before I, too, get on the road again.

More soon.

Shopping

I'm one of those rare women who don't like to shop.  Not for food, clothes, etc. Being raised with guys, and then having guys - I think that's why the shopping gene just passed me by.

I made an appointment to get my hair done after school, to get out all of the remnants of our Cultural Day celebration.  There was still some of the tomato saucy perfume that was spread all around my face and well into my hair.

Me at Cultural Day festivities
in a burka, wearing a shayla, holding a watering jug.
Yes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

The hair salon is right behind a grocery store.  I needed a couple of things, but found myself just wandering around in there.  Probably because I was hungry.

Note to self - You know better.  NEVER shop hungry.

Anyway, I didn't heed that advice and picked up a dutch apple loaf cake that looked really good.

First hint this was a mistake - it was displayed next to fruitcakes.  It is universally known, fruitcakes are awful.

Second hint - the expiration date on it was February 2020.

Yes, you read that right.  The year 2020.

And, brilliant woman that I am, in spite of these glaring warning signs, I bought the cake.

When I opened the package it was hard as a brick on the top.  Too hard for a sharp knife to cut.  No, it was not frozen.  It was, in fact, at room temperature.  I noticed the bottom of it wasn't quite as hard, so I turned it over and sawed my way through it and cut off a slice.

Third hint this purchase was a mistake - any cake, bread, or cake-like food that is hard as a brick, should be chucked IMMEDIATELY.

Of course, I didn't do that.  instead, I popped that slice in the toaster, and the aroma coming from it convinced me it was f-i-n-e.

It wasn't.

Once out of the toaster, I buttered it,

And

It was still hard as a brick and some of the nastiest food I've ever eaten.

The lessons learned today include, but certainly not limited to, the following:

1)  Stay out of grocery stores when you're hungry

2)  No matter how good something looks in the store, if the expiration is beyond next week, DO NOT buy it

3)  Don't hesitate to throw any food away if it is so hard it could be used as a doorstop.  Exception - melons.

After this experience, I'll think twice before grocery shopping,

And

I will eat BEFORE I shop.

Promise.

Cultural Day

Today the Arab staff treated us to a close up look at some of their customs.

What a treat!

They dressed me in a burka (face mask), with a shayla (head scarf).

Side note - I'm not sure of the spelling of shayla, so I'm spelling it phonetically and hoping for the best.

I was then rubbed with traditional perfume around the sides of my face.  It looked like tomato sauce.  My eyes were lined with a natural black paste that looked like shoe polish.

Yes, it was a sight to see.  Sorry, no pictures yet.  I was having such a good time getting all dolled up, I didn't stop to take pictures.  Lots of teachers took photographs though, so I'm hopeful to get some to share.

There were teachers who brought traditional dishes, and others who brought hot plates and cooked everything there, showing us how to do it.

There was a teepee-looking structure with goat hide hanging from it that was tied at both ends.  The hide contained milk that was being processed into a soft cheese, like cottage cheese.  The substance that was pored out of it looked like a really thick milk - like buttermilk.  I didn't taste it because regular milk upsets my stomach.

There were displays of baskets with fruits and leaves used as spices, teas, and henna.  These baskets were made from dried palm leaves.

There were about six large round mats, also made of dried palm leaves, that were laid on the rug, that was rolled out on the floor, and this is where the dishes were laid.  The food was in super large containers, keeping it warm, and when it was time to eat, they were opened up and everyone picked up a plate, and dished out what they wanted.  There were at least 8-10 folks serving themselves around the container at one time.

There were big clay water jugs, that when filled with water, keeps it cool, even outside in the extreme heat.  I tasted some of the water, and it was cool.

There were examples of the clothes they wear at home - it looked like the abaya (black robe-like outfit), but they were very colorful, contrary to their usual attire.

There were teachers who were wearing different colored shaylas (scarves).  They typically only wear black.  There even was a teacher (Egyptian), whose shayla fell off as she was getting painted with henna and it stayed off.  Her hair was dyed blond with highlights!  We weren't expecting that.  Interestingly, she looked much younger with her hair revealed, which makes me wonder what the others would look like without their shaylas.

There were women who were braiding silk thread that would be used as trim around the collar and/or hem of their garments.  The thread was pinned to an oblong pillow and the pillow sat on the floor in front of them.  The thread was still attached to the spools and they just rolled more off of the spools, as needed.

There was an African woman who was doing the henna painting.  It was very elaborate and intricate.  Beautifully done!  I learned that each country that does henna painting, does it a little differently.  Henna is like nail polish.  You have to wait for it to dry and it takes at least a half an hour.  I had a small area painted, but I'm so dark, you have to strain to see it.

Oftentimes you see the Arab teachers with their fingertips painted in henna, without the fancy designs.  This is the traditional way to wear it in the UAE.  Interestingly, the native females do not wear nail polish because they have to be free of chemicals on their body when they wash for prayer.

Only the Arab teachers were taking pictures because they don't allow you to photograph them uncovered, usually.  That's another reason I didn't take any pictures.  I didn't want to offend, by accidentally taking one of their pictures.

They really did go all out in helping us to see and understand what many of their customs are.  It was a delightful day full of fun and lots and lots of learning.

TED Books!

You all know I love the TED Talks, well I just discovered TED Books.  It is already available for the Kindle, Nook, and iBook platforms, and on July 10th, an app launches for the iPad.

I can't wait.

The Huffington Post article about this is below.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/06/ted-books-launches-app_n_1655099.html#slide=1195284

Happy reading!

Can't Get Enough

Sleep.

I've spent the last couple of days catching up on it.  Thankfully, I'm good to go now.

Here's another product plug.  (Seriously, I missed my calling.  I should have been in advertising / sales).  It's for 6-Hour Energy Drink.  A dear friend told me about this, and although I'd seen and heard of it before, I didn't try it until she suggested it.  It works just like it says - you're energized (not crazy jittery though) for six hours with no crashing.  You can find it at almost any kind of store in the US, including Costco, but I buy it from Amazon.

When I searched my phone for the above photo, I found a couple more from my NY visit.  They are below.

Statue of Liberty

Zadie on the ferry after visiting the Statue of Liberty

Side note - I've confirmed my first summer trip.  It's to Cairo, Egypt in a couple of weeks.  It's 3.5 hours by air, so it's relatively close.  Seeing the pyramids is high on my bucket list of things to do.  More on this later.

Side note 2 - I realize getting a US calendar is important for keeping up with the holidays there.  July 4th would have come and gone unnoticed if didn't receive notes from some of you.  Thanks for keeping me in the loop.  

Side note 3 - I just wanted to expand, very briefly, on the post about my brothers a while ago.  I hope I didn't leave you with the impression that there were never any issues between us because there were plenty.  Especially between my youngest brother, Terry (deceased) and I.  In fact, we fought like cats and dogs for years - until we were in our 40's!  It was only when Forrest (brother #2), suggested one of us grow up, and stop this nonsense, that I decided, enough was enough.  It takes two to argue, and it's tough trying to fight alone.  So this "peace, no matter what" revelation marked the beginning of some really great times, and some even greater discussions.

Besides your parents, there's no one who knows you better than your siblings.  If there is strife or contention between you and them, let me encourage you to make amends and settle it TODAY.  Don't make the mistake we made.  I regret the time Terry and I lost fighting, but I'll be forever grateful for the time we had once we got past the craziness.

Until next time . . . 

Hot vs. Very Hot

It was 117 degrees today.  Before you faint from reading these numbers, consider this.  It felt a lot hotter in New York because of the incredibly humid air, where the temperatures hovered around the mid-90's while I was there.  I was sweating like crazy.

I just gotta say, it's hard trying to be cute when you're dripping wet in places I will spare you from mentioning.

In contrast, we had a strong breeze today.  It was hot, no doubt, but it was bearable . . . relatively speaking.

It was good being back at work.  My folks were glad to see me because they thought I might ditch the last few days of school (staff workshops) and stay in the States.  The thought crossed my mind, ever so briefly.

Of course, everyone asked to see pictures of the wedding and my time away.  I should have remembered to take some, but I was too busy chatting with folks and having fun.

I'm paying the piper now.  I was up late again last night, but trying to get back in my rhythm.  This will be short so that I can get to bed early.

A very early goodnight to me, and good morning to you.

Funk in Flight

Picture this -

I've just boarded the last leg of my flight to take me from Milan to Dubai.  I've stored my carryon and I've settled in my seat.

There is a funky smelling odor nearby, but I can't place the origin of it.

     Please allow me to define funky. 

     Sometimes we use the word to describe something or someone who is cool, 

     hip, or has that certain swagger.

     Today I'm using it to describe the strongest, foulest, most disgusting body odor 

     I've experienced in a long time.

Then, the source of that smell walked by.

The odor was gagging bad.

And just as I was feeling sorry for the poor soul he would be sitting by, he came and stood by my seat, indicating he was sitting next to me.

Dear Lord.

I wasn't sure what to do.

I tried holding my breath but I couldn't hold it forever.  I exhaled only to be slapped with another nauseating wave of funk.

I should also mention he was a big guy.  A really big guy.  He sat leaning back with his legs wide open, touching mine, and as much as I tried to move far away, I couldn't escape.  I was being rubbed with the funk, too.

And instead of just laying low and being cool, or as cool as he could be in his funky state, he raised his arms and laid them on the armrest behind his head.

Dear, dear Lord.

That's when the most overwhelming onslaught of funk imaginable nearly took my breath away.

And . . .

To add to this nasal drama, he was fidgety.  He was in constant motion - moving around in his seat, making noise with the ashtray by opening and closing it, and he was playing with the tray table, again and again.

Then he started to pray.

Me, too.

I'm not sure what he was praying about, but I was praying for some fresh air to come my way . . . soon.

At about hour three of a six hour flight, he motioned that he needed to get up.  I assumed he was going to the restroom and would be right back, but he was gone more than an hour.

Thank God!

However, when he came back, he not only reeked of funk, but he had layered that funky smell with a whole lot of cologne (it's available in the restrooms).

Dear, dear, dear Lord.

At this point my only refuge was to turn my face toward the aisle, and stay turned that way, to keep my eyes and nose from burning.

By the way, his clothes were nice.  He didn't look destitute, but he definitely needed to burn what he was wearing.  There is no way that obnoxious smell was ever coming out.

I maintained my position of leaning forward, with my head turned toward the aisle, when he turned on the music on his phone so loud, folks sitting across the aisle could hear it playing, through his headphones.  It must have been deafening for him.

I pulled my iPad out and tried reading to distract myself.

It didn't work.

Thankfully, the flight landed about 30 minutes early, and I rushed off, but I couldn't escape the funk because he was right behind me.  I slowed down, and let him pass, and waited a while, until I was sure it would be safe to breathe again.

And, other than loosing my eyebrows from the blistering funk, it was a great flight.

Whirlwind

It's Sunday morning, and I'm writing this post from Connecticut, where the wedding ceremony for Frankie and Cara was held.

What a beautiful setting!

What a beautiful ceremony!

Although traveling so far to stay just over a week was challenging, it was worth every mile on the road to be a part of this celebration.

Now to some thank you's -

To Frankie & Cara for their warmth and generosity for including me in the festivities

To Cara's family for single-handedly creating a magical day, and for opening up their hearts and homes to people far and wide who shared it

To Ben for doing an amazing job of officiating, and to his wife Lupe who graciously and selflessly helped to keep Zadie entertained throughout a very busy day

To Cara's aunt and her family for opening up their heart and their home to me, providing a beautiful place for me to stay, that proved to be wonderful sanctuary of calmness

To all of the incredible family and friends that I had the opportunity to meet, that I've heard so much about over the years

To Zadie for giving her Grandma Faye lessons in how to party, and

To you, for sharing the happenings in my world through this blog

THANK YOU!

Sights and Sounds of New York City

I'm struck by how different the sounds are here in New York City, compared to my new home in the UAE.

Brooklyn Museum

Frankie & Zadie in front  of Brooklyn Museum

The things I hear coming from outside my window in Brooklyn are varied.

Folks walking by in conversation - English sometimes; Spanish at other times.

Cars driving by.

Cars driving by with loud music blaring - sometimes hip hop, other times Spanish.

Dogs barking.

Police sirens.

Ambulances.

Planes going by.

On the subway, there are even more sounds.

Subway Sign for Coney Island

The rumbling of the subway trains as they weave in and out of neighborhoods carrying the masses.

Where is everyone going?

I listen to the conversations and chatter among the riders.

They're in English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian (maybe), French, etc.

What a melting pot.

What a city!

My favorite sounds of all though, are the sounds that Zadie makes.

Zadie at the New York Aquarium

Hearing her beginning to talk.

Hearing her laughter, and squeals when she's excited.

Hanging out  with Grandma Faye

Hearing her voice her opinion, sometimes rather forcefully, warms my heart.  It may be a challenge for her parents now, but her strong will will serve her well when she grows up and is facing situations where she'll need to stand up for herself.

Already a shopper

I'm confident she will do just fine.

She and I have been hanging out, having a great time.  Today we went back to Coney Island, and this time visited the New York Aquarium.  There were lots of preschool kids there on field trips, so Zadie had lots of company about her age.

Ready for the  road

Tomorrow, we're scheduled to visit Ellis Island.

There is no better way to experience the sights and sounds of New York, than with my girl Zadie Faye.

Random Traveling Observations

I arrived in New York on Friday afternoon.  It's great being back in the states.


I jotted these thoughts down during the time I was waiting for my flights, on the plane and on the layover in Italy.
  
Very few folks were in national dress; there were a couple of women in abayas & burkas, and they were with guys in shorts and t-shirts.

Dubai airport = spectacular!

PDA (public display of affection) = rarely seen in UAE, but evident in airport with some Arabs couples

The passenger scooter (that rides folks through the airport) sounds like chirping birds when the driver blows the horn alerting folks he's nearby.

What's the story with balding guys who have beards.  Are they trying to divert our attention from their heads to their faces?

Just saw a young white kid with cornrows.  Why?

At 2:00 in the morning, it has cooled down to 91 degrees.

My cab driver from Al Ain to Dubai was Pakistani and very knowledgeable about world affairs.

I'm seeing more blonds than I've seen since I arrived here in November.

Women of color can get away with not wearing makeup; our white sisters, not so much.

There are lots of little kids - bright eyed and bushy tailed at 2:30 in the morning.

Guys in pink make a statement.  It's that they are sure of their masculinity.

Have you ever looked at someone who looked youthful until they turned around? Have I become that person?

Comb overs - who are these guys fooling, other than themselves?

What is it with folks, including my kinfolks and one of my teachers - with not combing their hair?  What about the ones who do comb it but they work hard to make it look messy?  Who decided that was attractive?  If a combed head is old fashion, consider me real old.

Announcements given in three languages on the flight to Milan:  Arabic, English & Italian

Flight attendants' uniforms are regal.  They are worn with great pride by the Emirates Airline Crew.

Shocking how rude many of the passengers are to the flight attendants; it seems everyone (ok maybe not everyone) expects someone to wait on them; it is certainly strikingly evident in these parts.

A young lady fainted on plane.

There are some people who just naturally respond well in an emergency. The thing is, you have no idea how you'll respond until you find yourself in a critical situation.

I changed seats on the Milan to New York leg of the trip, so that a family with young kids could sit together.  I ended up sitting next to an extraordinarily interesting your man, who at just 25 years of age, had traveled the world.  Chatting with him certainly helped to make the time go by faster.


We arrived in New York almost an hour ahead of time!  


That extra time was spent waiting to get through customs though.  


That was OK, it was just good being back.


More soon.

Shackle Sneakers . . . REALLY???

 This is my second double post in as many days, but this is too outrageous not to share.

Shackled sneakers?

What's the intended message here?

Who is it geared to?

Who thought this was a good idea?

Apparently a whole lot of folks for it to get to market.

Note the picture at the bottom of the article.

Kudos to the Huffington Post . . . again.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/adidas-shackle-sneakers-controversy_n_1605661.html#s=1109374

A Hamburger Photoshoot

This captivating article was discovered in the Huffington Post today answering the question of why burgers look different in ads than they do in real life.  Be sure to check out the video.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/20/mcdonalds-advertising-behind-the-scenes_n_1611841.html

Juneteenth

Today is Juneteenth, the day that the end of slavery was announced in Texas.

Now . . .  a little history lesson for you and me.

President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862.  It went into effect on January 1, 1863, but it took almost six months (June 19th) for the word to get to Texas.  Or maybe it took that long for it to be acknowledged.

Who knows?

Anyway, Black folks have been celebrating this day, in some form or fashion, ever since.

The celebration in Sacramento always included sweet potato pie.

Have a slice for me.

Paparazzi And Random Thoughts

Today I got a microscopic sense of what famous folks go through when cameras were flashing everywhere at an end-of-year celebration meeting I attended.

Cameras are huge in this culture, which is interesting because so many of the women cover up completely when the cameras come out.  However, be that as it may, every thing that is done, socially, in business, in their personal lives, etc., is captured and preserved on camera.

There was an Emirati gentleman who is a local/national "star," who was in attendance at this meeting.  Hence, the extraordinary presence of photographers.

Now to the random thoughts -

How many guys are needed to change a tire?  Apparently five, as there were that many on the side of the road, doing just that.  To be fair, they were young guys in national dress.  Changes are, changing tires is not something they've had a lot of experience doing.

Today I saw high school boys walking near their school.  This is the first time I've seen kids walking anywhere near a school.  As I've mentioned before, we have students who live across the street from our school, who ride the bus.  We went on a field trip that was a block away.  Yes.  We went by bus.

5th Grade Girls on field Trip to Cycle 2 & 3 (C2-3) School
(C2-3 = 6th thru 12 grade)

Speaking of buses, the 11 that service our school are still making their daily runs, but the students have stopped coming.  This Thursday is the official last day of school, but they stopped coming several weeks ago.  This is a cultural phenomena that we're trying to change.

I remember something a dear friend used to say - change is usually evolutionary, not revolutionary. 

So true.

Side note - The video below is of students performing at the 5th grade girls promotion ceremony.

The temperature continues to climb staggeringly high.  It was 111 at 6:00 pm yesterday.  Oftentimes there is a strong breeze, but the air is so hot, it feel like a fan is blowing air from an oven.

Anything under 105 is considered a cold front!

I've only recently begun using sunscreen, but I'm a faithful user now.

Final word -

Recent Camel Crossing

Recent Camel Crossing 2